Monaco have an uncertain path ahead after their Champions League final defeat by Porto left them forced to qualify for next season's campaign, with the likely loss of top players and their manager.
Monaco went down 3-0 to Porto on Wednesday after an impressive run to the final, ousting giants Real Madrid and big-spending Chelsea as well as clinching a record 8-3 win over Deportivo Coruna.
"It's a huge disappointment," said coach Didier Deschamps, who has been linked with a move to his former club Juventus. "To get to the final is wonderful. To lose is very hard."
Monaco failed to seal an automatic place in next season's competition after a third-place finish in French Ligue 1 behind champions Olympique Lyon and PSG, despite being 10 points clear at the top in January.
"It's very hard because the players deserved to win a title. We lost the league championship right at the end. That was a great opportunity," Deschamps told French sports daily L'Equipe.
"It will remain a great season, what we achieved was exceptional, but there is no trophy to show for it and that is the most regrettable thing."
Even if Deschamps does stay at Monaco, he is set to lose some of the players that have been the inspiration behind the team, such as Fernando Morientes, Jerome Rothen and Dado Prso.
TOO EXPENSIVE
Morientes, who was on loan from Real Madrid and became the tournament's top scorer, is too expensive for cash-strapped Monaco to hold on to. He has been linked with a move to Chelsea, while midfielder Rothen could be on his way to PSG.
Croatian striker Prso has already agreed a transfer to Rangers.
Monaco started their European campaign as 80-1 outsiders and before embarking on their brilliant run said they would be happy enough to get through the group stage.
Their road to the final included a crazy November night when they destroyed Deportivo Coruna with a Champions League record 8-3 win at the Stade Louis II after losing 1-0 in the first leg in Spain.
Monaco also produced one of the shocks of the tournament with a remarkable comeback to knock out nine-times winners Real Madrid and reach the semi-finals.
They had lost the first leg 4-2 at the Bernabeu but, inspired by Morientes, recovered from a goal down to win the second leg 3-1.
They went on to beat Chelsea 3-1 in the semi-final first leg, despite having only 10 men and again came from behind in the second leg to claim a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge and seal their place in the final.
They could not repeat such dramas in Gelsenkirchen, however, and could find themselves counting the cost next season.
